Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander recently spoke on the NHL/NHLPA European media tour about the impact of former teammate Mitch Marner’s departure to the Vegas Golden Knights. Nylander highlighted Marner’s role as the team’s social glue—organizing team events and keeping morale high. But for Leafs fans, the real focus is on what happens on the ice.
The Leafs have one clear goal this season: to advance further in the Stanley Cup playoffs than they have in the past 25 years. And the key to that push appears to be coach Craig Berube’s increasing influence over roster decisions. As Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president Keith Pelley confirmed after the firing of team president Brendan Shanahan, Berube will play a much bigger role in shaping the team.
This shift is reflected in the offseason moves. Rather than seeking easy-going veterans, general manager Brad Treliving has added gritty, physical players like center Nicolas Roy (acquired in the Marner sign-and-trade) and left winger Dakota Joshua (traded from Vancouver). These players fit Berube’s vision of a tougher, more physical Leafs team—one that emphasizes “snot and snarl” over finesse.
Though Marner’s offensive skill and leadership will be missed, the Leafs are deliberately moving away from the style he embodied. They are instead modeling themselves on the blueprint of the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, who imposed their will through relentless physicality and depth.
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As Nylander acknowledged, Marner was a fun teammate and a great organizer of team camaraderie. But with Toronto’s history of playoff frustration, the priority is on players who can make life difficult for opponents in the hard areas of the ice. That’s exactly the kind of lineup Berube wants, and what Leafs fans should want too.
In the end, if the Leafs finally break their playoff drought and make a deep postseason run, no one will mind a less jovial dressing room—especially if it means playoff success. And Berube’s growing role in shaping the roster will be fully justified.
